About me
About the Provider
Maria Esperanza Rodrigo, MD, is the Medical Director for the Heart Transplant Program and attending physician in the Advanced Heart Failure Mechanical Circulatory Support & Cardiac Transplantation Program at MedStar Washington Hospital Center. She also directs the outpatient LVAD (left ventricular assist device) clinic. As a heart failure and transplant cardiologist, she primarily sees individuals with advanced heart failure, including patients requiring heart transplants and mechanical circulatory support. She also specializes in managing cardiovascular disease during pregnancy, including peripartum cardiomyopathy, and treats patients with infiltrative cardiomyopathies such as sarcoidosis and amyloidosis.
Dr. Rodrigo’s approach to treating patients with heart failure begins with a thorough evaluation to determine the type of treatment they will require. She initially offers treatment with medication, and often further advanced treatments, such as implantation of a LVAD or heart transplantation. Dr. Rodrigo specializes in determining the eligibility of patients for these advanced heart failure therapies. When LVAD implantation is necessary, Dr. Rodrigo is part of a multidisciplinary team that offers patients the latest technology available in the field. Dr. Rodrigo follows these patients in the pre-, peri- and post-surgical period.
With a strong interest in advancing the field of heart transplantation, Dr. Rodrigo is the site principal investigator for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) sponsored Genomic Research Alliance for Transplantation (GRAFT) study, a project across five area transplant hospitals that is exploring the use of cell-free DNA in heart transplantation. She is also the site principal investigator for SHORE (Surveillance HeartCare Outcomes Registry) assessing the utility of AlloMap (gene-expression profile) and AlloSure (donor-derived cell-free DNA) to more comprehensively monitor heart transplant recipients for allograft rejection.
After receiving her medical degree from Universidad Favaloro in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 2003, Dr. Rodrigo completed an NIH research fellowship in cardiovascular disease, during which she focused her work on endothelial progenitor cells. She then joined MedStar Washington Hospital Center/Georgetown University Hospital, where she completed her internal medicine residency in 2009, followed by a year as Chief Resident. Dr. Rodrigo then went on to complete a first fellowship in cardiology in 2013 and a second fellowship in advanced heart failure & transplant cardiology in 2014, both at MedStar Georgetown University Hospital/Washington Hospital Center. She is board certified internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and advanced heart failure and transplant cardiology.
Philosophy of Care
“It’s important for me to have open communication with each of my patients to understand that person’s wishes, expectations and environment. This helps me to provide compassionate, individualized care that is most appropriate for the patient and their family.
“Patients who come to our program will be receiving the very best care that is available today. We generate a relationship that is long-term with each individual -- the patient becomes our patient for life, and it’s a journey that we go through together.”
Clinical areas of focus
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Conditions and procedures
Conditions I treat
- Advanced Heart Failure
- Advanced Heart Failure (ADHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure (AHF)
- Advanced Heart Failure Care
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy
- Arrhythmogenic Right Ventricular Cardiomyopathy (ARVC)
- Cardiac Sarcoidosis
- Cardiac Transplant Vasculopathy
- Cardiomyopathy
- Complications Of Cardiac And Vascular Prosthetic Devices
- Complications Of Heart Transplant
- Complications Of Transplanted Organs And Tissue
- Heart Disease
- Heart Failure
- Heart Transplant Rejection
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Multiple Myeloma With Amyloidosis
- Myocarditis
- Persistent Pulmonary Hypertension
- Presence Of Cardiac And Vascular Implants
- Pulmonary Edema
- Restrictive Cardiomyopathy
- Rheumatic Heart Disease
- Valve Disease With Congestive Heart Failure
Procedures I perform
- Pulmonary Artery Pressure Monitoring
Insurance
MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.
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List of insurance plans we accept
- MD IPA (HMO) & MD IPA Preferred Cardiac Global
- Employee Health Plan
- IH-Open POS Plus
- United Healthcare Navigate Cardiac Global
- Aetna Medicare Advantage HMO & PPO Plans
- CareFirst MedStar PPO
- Aetna Better Health of VA
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Plus Open Access (POS)
- CIGNA Indemnity
- Kaiser Permanente Signature - Added Choice
- CareFirst NASCO
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Plus
- Advantra Platinum (PPO)
- CareFirst FEP Blue Focus
- CIGNA PPO Plus
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Adv. Special Needs Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PLUS PPO
- Fee-for-Service (FFS) District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia Medicaid
- Aetna Advantage 6350PD
- Medicare Advantage - Advantra Value (PPO)
- IH-Open HMO Option
- UHC Passport
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (POS & POS OA)
- CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield Advantage Core/Enhanced
- United Healthcare Select HMO-EPO/NPP Cardiac Global
- CareFirst Blue Choice Opt Out Open Access
- CareFirst (NCA) Indemnity
- Optima Family Care MCO - VA Medicaid MCO
- Aetna Advantage 6350
- Cigna Alliance Medicare (HMO)
- M.D. IPA (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Cardiac Global
- Cigna Preferred Medicare (HMO)
- DC/MD SHOP QHP Small Business Plans
- Aetna Quality Point of Service (POS)
- Aetna VA Exchange
- Core Essential (HMO)
- Amerigroup DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open POS II
- Healthy Blue (HMO, POS)
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage
- BCBS Out-of-State Medicare Plans (Blue Advantage)
- Aetna Classic 3500
- IH-Indemnity
- CareFirst Federal Employee Program (Std. & Basic PPO)
- OCI Direct (HMO)
- United Healthcare Choice Plus Cardiac Global
- Choice POS II
- Aetna Classic 5000PD
- CareFirst Dual Prime HMO-SNP
- M.D. IPA Preferred (POS)
- WellPoint Maryland - Maryland Health Choice
- CareFirst Group Medicare Advantage prescription drug benefit (PPO)
- BlueChoice Open Access
- Aetna HMO-Open Access/Select OA/HealthFund/Health Network Option OA
- HealthyBlue PPO
- Magellan Complete Care of VA - VA Medicaid MCO
- Kaiser Permanente Signature
- Blue Choice Advantage
- United Medicare Private Fee-for-Service (PFFS) plans
- Aetna Open Choice (PPO)
- IH-HMO
- Health Services for Children with Special Needs
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthy Families
- IH-Open EPO Plus
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Dual Adv
- Cigna True Choice Medicare (PPO)
- Optimum Choice & Optimum Choice Preferred (POS) Cardiac Global
- IH-Open Network Only Plus
- Aetna Managed Choice Open Access (POS)
- Aetna Worker's Compensation Network
- Private Health Care Systems (PPO)
- Optimum Choice
- Choice Care Network/HUMANA (PPO)
- UnitedHealthcare Individual Exchange Plans
- Kaiser Permanente Select Cardiac Global
- Kaiser Permaenete Signature - Added Choice Cardiac Global
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers Plus
- CareFirst Administrators
- Great-West Healthcare POS/CIGNA
- Cigna True Choice Plus Medicare (PPO)
- Erickson Advantage Plans
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD PPO
- Johns Hopkins Advantage MD HMO
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO)
- CareFirst MedStar Select PPO
- NYC Medicare Advantage Plus
- Select HMO/HealthFund/Health Network
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthcare Alliance
- Navigate
- HumanaChoice PPO
- TriWest Healthcare Alliance
- Beech Street PPO
- HighMark
- CareFirst Maryland Point of Service Plan
- CIGNA SureFit (HMO)
- First Health PPO
- MultiPlan, Inc
- Medicare FFS
- Humana Medicare Advantage - PPO
- Uniformed Services Family Health Plan
- Network OA
- Medicare Direct
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue SNP
- Coventry Health Care National Network PPO
- Aetna Advantage 5750
- CIGNA PPO
- United Student Resources
- CareFirst Community Health Plan of MD
- Kaiser Permanente HMO Plus and DHMO Plus Member
- BCBS of Michigan (BCN Advantage,Security Blue, Freedom, Medicare PLUS Blue Group PPO)
- IH-Open HMO
- Choice POS
- CIGNA HMO Open Access
- Choice Fund PPO
- Kaiser Maryland Medicaid MCO
- Lasso Healthcare - Medicare Medical Savings Account
- UnitedHealthcare and AARP Medicare Complete Plans
- Aetna HMO
- Choice POS II Open Access
- AMERIVANTAGE/Amerigroup Community Care
- Anthem BCBS Medi Blue Plus
- TRICARE for Life East
- CIGNA HMO & Network (HMO)
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Standard
- CareFirst Maryland Indemnity or PPO
- Jai Medical Systems - Maryland Health Choice
- Priority Partners - Maryland Health Choice
- Maryland Physicians Care MCO
- CareFirst Blue Card Program
- CIGNA EPO
- OA Plus
- Kaiser Permanente Select - Added Choice
- Geisinger Medicare Advantage
- IH-EPO Plus
- HUMANA/Choice Care Medicare Plans (Choice, Gold Choice)
- Aetna Traditional Choice (PPO)
- United Healthcare Choice
- CareFirst Blue Preferred PPO
- UnitedHealthcare Medicare Advantage DSNP District of Columbia
- CIGNA POS/Network POS
- MedStar Family Choice - Maryland Health Choice
- United HealthCare Community Plan - Maryland Health Choice Program
- Private Fee-for-Service Plans (PFFS)
- CIGNA Connect EPO
- IH-PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice 3-tier POS
- Aetna Signature Administrator PPO/TPA
- TRICARE East Prime
- Sentara Health
- Mamsi Life & Health (Indem./PPO) Cardiac Global
- Aetna Classic 5000
- Veterans Affairs Community Care Network
- Aetna Premier 200PD
- Aetna Medicare Advantage PFFS Plan
- Coventry Health Care of Virginia
- Kaiser Permanente Medicare Advantage Signature and Select
- Aetna Basic
- Police and Fire Clinic
- Tricare Reserve Select
- IH-POS
- First Health PPO
- Aetna Elect Choice/ EPO (Aetna Health Fund)
- Cigna Achieve Medicare (HMO C-SNP)
- Aetna Managed Choice (POS)
- Aetna Better Health of MD
- Cigna TotalCare (HMO D-SNP)
- UHC Group Medicare Advantage Plans (HMO, POS, PPO)
- Humana Gold Plus HMO
- Humana Medicare Advantage - HMO Open Access
- AmeriHealth Caritas DC Healthy Families
- TRICARE East Select
- MedStar Family Choice DC Healthcare Alliance
- United Healthcare Community Plan - VA Medicaid MCO
- Options PPO Cardiac Global
- Amerigroup DC Alliance
- CareFirst EPO
- Alterwood Advanatge HMO & DSNP Plans
- IH-POS Plus
- POS OA
- Kaiser Permanente Select
- IH-Network Only Plus
- United Healthcare Options (PPO)
- United Healthcare Select Plus (POS)
- Aetna Elect Choice/ Open Access (POS)
- Anthem BCBS of VA Key Care POS/PPO/Indemnity
- CareFirst BlueChoice HMO
- Anthem Federal Employee Program Basic
- Optimum Choice Preferred (POS)
- Coventry of Delaware HMO/PPO
- United Healthcare Select HMO - EPO/NPP
- United Healthcare Choice Plus
- Aetna Student Health Insurance
- Anthem BCBS of VA HealthKeepers (HMO)
- HumanaChoice Honor's plan PPO
- Kaiser Permanente Flexible Choice POS Cardiac Global
Videos
Education
Board Certification: American Board of Internal Medicine, Advanced Heart Failure and Transplant Cardiology
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2014)
Fellowship: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2013)
Residency: MedStar Washington Hospital Center (2010)
Medical School: Universidad Favaloro (2003)